


Disguises With Murder In Our Eyes

by OrdainedCrownie



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Small Perc'ahlia feels if you squint a bit
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-25
Updated: 2016-05-25
Packaged: 2018-06-10 16:38:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,607
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6964738
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OrdainedCrownie/pseuds/OrdainedCrownie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Vex, Vax and Percy infiltrate a grand ball held by the Briarwoods in Whitestone Castle.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Disguises With Murder In Our Eyes

**Author's Note:**

> AU - Alternate Version to The Feast in a different way, set just before Stoke the Flames.

Vex laid her head on Percy’s shoulder as they began to waltz, Percy knew this was so she could get a good look at the guests but he couldn’t help but feel pleased that she felt comfortable enough to be this close. Okay, so they were undercover trying to locate the Briarwoods and it was incredibly dangerous for Percy to be in the same vicinity as the Briarwoods but why couldn’t he relish the calm little things before the storm.  
  
It wasn't so bad to be worried, Percy was hidden under the guise of the hat of disguise courtesy of Scanlan while Vex had simply dressed up slightly as she hadn't needed to hide her own identity from the Briarwoods until her brother promptly shot her down telling her she would need an alias at least otherwise she would not be going.  
  
This had ensued an hour long argument between the twins until Vex surprisingly backed down to allow her brother to convene with her about what disguise should be chosen. This then began the argument that Vex would not allow her brother to pose as her husband as that was disgusting and it wasn't until Vax suggested Percy be her fake husband that Vex settled slightly with a smile while Percy felt his cheeks go pink at the thought. It had been decided that the three would go ahead under aliases and disguises (much to Vex's chagrin) while the rest of the group once word was confirmed that the Briarwoods were in attendance.  
  
So here the two of them were, dancing Whitestone Castle together for the Briarwoods's celebration ball but undercover waiting for the Briarwoods to show their faces. Suddenly Vex gasped loudly and hid her head into Percy’s shoulder, pulling Percy out of his thoughts to regard the elf before she lifted her head again and hissed.  
  
“Vax, you fucking arsehole.” She snapped quietly between her teeth even as they both heard a quiet snigger and Percy then felt a warm firm hand wrap around his hip, before Vax came into view in full disguise as one of the acrobatic dancers that the Briarwoods had hired for the ball.   
  
“What ever is wrong, dear sister?” he whispered as he danced around the two, trying to keep up the pretense even as his sister tried to smack him over the head.  
  
“You two stand out like a sore thumb, could you at least try to act natural?” Vax whispered, dancing out of reach of his sisters attempts to slap him before he tumbled away and disappeared from view.  
  
"Damnit.." Vex growled underneath her breath as Percy twirled her around briefly before pulling her back into his embrace.  
  
"What does your brother mean?" Percy frowned but Vex shook her head as she continued their pace around the ballroom.  
  
"Just follow my lead alright?" Vex huffed to herself, reaching up to clasp Percy by the chin and Percy felt himself go red in the face when Vex pressed her lips to his. While this was not the first kiss he had received from the ranger, it had certainly been the first proper kiss since he had first made the exploding arrows for her in Vasselheim. Not that he was complaining at all as she continued to deepen the kiss until the two heard coughs beside them realising that they had probably pushed it as far as they could to the point it may be over the top.  
  
Vex pushed away with a small smile before burrowing her head into his shoulder and Percy hiding his own pink cheeks in her long ginger hair. The two continued to sway to the music albeit a little slower now as the beat had changed to slow even further until it came to a stop as the clapping suddenly began pulling them both up. Percy caught Vex's eye and he couldn't help but smile slightly as he could see the disguise had failed to hide her own blushing.  
  
They both caught sight of the Briarwoods entering at almost the same time and Vex felt Percy stiffen in her touch and wrapped an arm around his shoulder pulling him towards her for a kiss on the cheek.  
  
“Easy, Percival. You can do this.” Vex whispered into his ear, squeezing his hand even as his other hand clenched at his side as he tried to hold back his own anger. He could feel Orthax screaming in this mind to take them out while he could with his concealed gun but Vex’s reassuring grip on his hand kept him in reality and he shook his head briefly to draw himself at full height to assume his mask once more as the Briarwoods made their way down the staircase.  
  
Percy couldn't but taste the bile rise in his mouth at the sight of Delilah and Silas Briarwood hand in hand walking down the stairs in the castle that was right fully his family. The memories of seeing the dead bodies of his family members on the ground as he had escaped with his little sister began to rush forward, like ghosts the couple walked through the visions.  
  
He could hear Vex talking through the earrings as she relayed to the rest of Vox Machina that it was time to storm the castle but Percy's gaze was fixed on the couple as they made their way through the various nobles whom approached. Vex held him back with her arm wrapped around his in an effort to pull them away from the group but it seemed Percy's steel glare had managed to catch Silas's eye and with a small smirk Silas steered his wife over to Vex and Percy.  
  
“I do not believe we have met before?”  
  
“Lady Kima and Lord Fredrick of Syngorn, milady. I do believe we have yet to be acquainted. Now I am most intrigued by the dress you are wearing, I simply must know where you got it made.” Percy zoned out of the conversation to squeeze Vex’s hand as he tried to keep himself under control despite being in the immediate vicinity to Silas and Delilah Briarwood and in return he received a squeeze from her. Percy was trying desperately hard to seem interested despite seeing Silas in the corner of his eye, whom had been staring at him for quite sometime.  
  
"You look vaguely familiar Lord Fredrick, are you sure we have never met before?” Percy felt his cheeks go red and he laughed it off as if he was nervous and not wanting to use The List to wipe the smirk of the Lord's face.  
  
“We may have met briefly in passing at a ball held by the recent De Rolo family a few years ago but I cannot say for sure.” Vex was practically squeezing his hand so hard now that he was sure she was going to break his fingers soon.  
  
"Ah yes. Their passing was most unfortunate."  
  
"Might I ask as you were there when they passed did you happen to know what caused their passing?" Silas drew his lips to a thin line and Percy knew that he was pushing the boundaries of his cover.  
  
"You seem very interested in the family, considering you are from Syngorn, Lord Fredrick."  
  
"Call it a mutual interest in possible investments for the future." Percy smirked, though he was sure Vex could feel him shaking uncontrollably.  
  
"Ah indeed, there is worth in querying possible investments. Indeed it seems a deadly disease had taken hold of the castle and by the time we could bring physicians in to help it was all but too late."  
  
"Were you not concerned that you may risk of picking up the disease?"  
  
"We were assured by our expert scientist Doctor Anna Ripley that the disease had only managed to contract between the family. It was believed to have been hereditary at first but it seems a mysterious package had been delivered from Ank'Harel not long before and it had been concluded this was the reason for the plague."  
  
"That is most disappointing to hear that a simple package could be the cause of so much mayhem. It had been my hope to open trade between Syngorn and Whitestone as I had been such deep talks with Julius De Rolo but alas not to be."  
  
"Let it be known, Lord Fredrick that we are open to negotiation on their behalf if you wish it to be?"  
  
"Indeed-"  
  
“Forgive my husband, he tends to get ahead of himself when he talks about trades.  We will need to speak to your father before we can finalise anything.” Vex suddenly interjected now wrapping an arm around Percy's shoulder while giving Percy a stern glare.  
  
"Yes of course my dear. I do speak out of turn my apologies, Lord Briarwood." Percy forced himself to speak through the thin lines of his lips as he bowed his head.  
  
"If you will excuse us.."  Vex curtsied before she gently guided Percy away whom stiffly responded by letting her walk them away. Vex dragged Percy away from the couple and smuggled themselves between some dancers in order to talk.  
  
“Percival, what the fuck was that?”  
  
“What? I was simply making conversation.” Percy frowned before Vex grabbed him by the lapels of his suit to whisper in his ear.  
  
“This is not-“  
  
“LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!” Percy could feel the blood pumping in his ears as he raised his voice the sound of chattering now went silent as the crowd turned their attention to him.  
  
"I do thank you for a most entertaining evening but I regret it must come to a close." Numerous chattering began but Percy simply silenced it with a raised hand and the talking hushed just as quickly.  
  
"You see, the rightful owners of this castle are not our esteemed hosts Lord and Lady Briarwood," Percy almost spat out the couples name now even as Silas now glared at him intently while his wife looked on with a smirk. "No, the rightful owners of Castle Whitestone are the De Rolo family whom have had their name erased from history in one swift but calculated move by the Briarwoods on this very day, five years ago. The De Rolo's were not plagued by a deadly disease as claimed by our esteemed hosts but usurped and murdered by the Briarwoods who then continued to smear their name by claiming they had inherited the land." Percy relished, feeling the power behind his words keep his head up high despite the danger rising to speaking out.  
  
"I know you ask yourselves what could this man possibly know about the dealings of that night five years ago? I, Percival Fredrickstien Von Musel Klossowski De Rolo the Third am the sole survivor of that night and I rightfully claim on my inheritance that Whitestone Castle still belongs to the De Rolos."   
  
Percy ripped the hat of disguise from his head and he felt Vex gasp beside him, squeezing his arm so tight he was sure he was going to feel that in the morning but he didn't care. All he cared about was fixing his eyes upon the couple before him, ignoring the wide smirk on Silas's face as he freed his arm from Vex's vice grip.   
  
"Look my dear, the pup yet lives." Silas cackled before clasping his wife's hand to pull her up the stairs.  
  
Percy had tunnel vision, his eyes set on the two as they began to flee the ballroom hand in hand. He drew his concealed weapon from his belt as he quickly brought up the scope of his weapon to his eye as he mirrored their path and fired a shot but to his dismay the gun misfired causing him to curse as he fixed the barrel to see the couple disappearing up the stairs through a side door.  
  
He could feel Orthax wrapping smoke around his limbs, the smoke pouring from his coat to billow around him as he now raced after them, gun still in hand as he took the stairs several at a time. His fingers clasped around the door handle that the couple had disappeared through just as four hands wrapped around his waist and arms, bull-rushing him to pin him against the wall.  
  
“Percival, you promised me you had a handle on this!” Vex shouted at him but it was faint white noise when Orthax began to talk to him.   
  
_Percival….kill them…._  
  
Percy tried to struggle against the twins even as they kept him pinned against the wall, wrestling his weapon from his grasp before Vax's fist connected with his skull promptly causing the world to tip and turn black.  
  
**  
Percy came to consciousness and noted that he was bouncing around and the floor was rushing towards him until he could focus his eyes and realised that he was being carried.  
  
“Vax?” Percy managed to croak and Vax came to a halt, pinning himself against a wall before he gently let Percy drop to his feet.  
  
“I’m going to need you to run okay?” Vax asked quietly, holding Percy’s head between his hands before Percy nodded unsteadily.  
  
“It’s clear, lets go!” Percy faintly heard Vex’s voice call out from afar even as Vax wrapped an arm around Percy’s shoulder and pulled him along.  
  
“Vax, you have a mean right hook.” Vax chuckled glancing at Percy with a grin as they continued.  
  
“You can thank me later, Smokeman.”  Even as they walked Percy could feel himself slipping in and out, his feet dragging along as he tried to put one foot in front of the other.  
  
It seemed like Orthax had drained a lot of energy and he was now struggling to stay conscious enough to walk.  
  
“Vax… I don’t think…” Before Percy could even finish his sentence he felt himself slip from Vax’s grasp and he crashed to the ground.  
  
“Shit! Quick help me get him up.” Percy faintly felt the twins lift him to his feet until Vax managed to lift the human over his shoulder and begin to hustle away as Percy’s vision faded away.  
  
**  
  
Percy awoke feeling hot and was sweating buckets until a cold cloth was placed on his brow even as he frowned at the new sensation. Carefully he opened his eyes and he found his eyes focus on Keyleth whom was mopping his brow.  
  
“Percy…” Keyleth smiled for a moment before helping Percy sit up on the floor. He realised they were back at the safe house in the basement and he could faintly hear arguing happening upstairs.  
  
“They’re trying to figure out a plan to create a distraction so we can slip into the castle again. Well I think you can guess how it’s going so far.”  
  
"Oh this is all my fault. I should've just let Vex pull me away and we could've... oh Keyleth." Keyleth reached out to brush his face with tenderness even as Percy sighed heavily.  
  
"I let myself fall Keyleth. I promised that I could keep myself in check and I failed."  
  
"Oh Percy..." Keyleth reached out and hugged the human tightly before pulling away.  
  
"Percy don't do this to yourself. You are better than this. Remember that we will always have your back no matter what."  
  
"Thank you, Keyleth. Now I suppose I should go see if we can get this organised." Percy grunted as he rose to his feet, Keyleth not far from him with her arms wrapped around his back while her other moved to clasp the other gently to guide him forward.  
  
"With luck, the ruckus I've caused we might be able to repair this and cause a riot."

**Author's Note:**

> I apologise if some of this doesn't make sense, I'm sure I am currently delirious with shipper glasses on.


End file.
